Security pouch

ABSTRACT

A security pouch made of plastic, which is used to receive and to transport valuables, has a lower and an upper plastic layer, which are joined to each other, forming a closable access opening. At least in some sections, the security pouch is provided with a single-layer or multi-layer indicator layer, which produces a color change in the event of mechanical damage and, in particular, slitting.

The invention concerns a security pouch made of plastic, which is used to receive and to transport valuables and which has a lower and an upper plastic layer that are joined to each other, forming a closable access opening.

Such a security pouch is constituted by two plastic layers lying one on top of the other, each of which is rectangular in shape and joined or welded to each other along their peripheral edges. An access opening is constituted in one of the layers, through which a user can insert or remove valuables or documents into or out of the storage space formed by the two plastic layers. The access opening can be closed tight by means of an integrated closure flap, wherein various tampering indicators are constituted in the region of the closure, which indicate whether an unauthorized third party has attempted to open the security pouch by applying heat/cold or solvent. The tampering indicators applied to the access opening or closure flap are now so far developed that it is almost impossible for an unauthorized person to access the valuables located inside the security pouch without this being noticed.

However, in practice it has been shown that the greatest security risk for such a security pouch occurs when an unauthorized person slits open the security pouch so that he or she can remove money or valuables from the storage space of the security pouch.

The object of the invention is to create a security pouch of this type, for which the risk that slitting the security pouch will go unnoticed is considerably reduced.

This task is inventively solved with a security pouch with the characteristics of claim 1. Therein, at least in some sections, the security pouch is provided with an indicator layer, which produces a color change in the event of mechanical damage. The indicator layer is constituted such that, particularly when it is slit or cut into, a clearly visible color change similar to a bleeding wound is produced in the region of the cut, which is irreversible and immediately noticeable to any user. It is therefore no longer possible to slit open the security pouch without this being noticed.

The indicator layer can be disposed on the interior side and/or on the exterior side of the upper plastic layer and preferably also on the interior side and/or exterior side of the lower plastic layer. The indicator layer for its part can be single-layered or multiple-layered, wherein it is preferably printed on or sprayed on.

In one possible embodiment of the invention, the indicator layer comprises two reaction media A and B, which are separated spatially, wherein the spatial separation can be eliminated by the mechanical damage or slitting. In one possible embodiment, the two reaction media A and B can be separated from each other by a membrane. When the indicator layer is slit, this membrane is damaged, wherein the two reaction media make contact with each other and react with each other to produce a color change. Alternatively, it is also possible to locate a first reaction medium A in a first layer, to dispose a very thin separating layer on it, and to dispose a second layer on top of that, which contains the other reaction medium B. When the security pouch and therefore the indicator layer is slit, the separating layer is also slit, so that, in the region of the slit, the reaction medium A from the one layer makes contact with the reaction medium B from the other layer with which it reacts, thereby producing a color change.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the indicator layer can contain at least one reaction medium, which produces a color change upon making contact with oxygen, in particular, from the air. This can be achieved by encapsulating the reaction medium in the indicator layer, so that it does not come into contact with the ambient air. Only when the indicator layer is slit does the reaction medium located in the region of the slit make contact with the ambient air and react with the oxygen contained in the air, thereby producing a color change.

Further details and characteristics of this invention are provided by the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing, wherein the one FIGURE provided shows a schematic perspective view of the inventive security pouch.

The security pouch 10 depicted in the FIGURE comprises a lower plastic layer 11 and an upper plastic layer 12 lying on top of it. Each of the plastic layers 11 and 12 is rectangular in shape, wherein the lower plastic layer 11 extends beyond the upper plastic layer 12 along the top edge to form a closure flap 13. The two plastic layers 11 and 12 are welded to each other along three peripheral edges by means of welded seams 14. An access opening 16 is constituted at the fourth top edge of the upper plastic layer 12, through which the user can insert or remove valuables or documents into or out of the storage space constituted by the two plastic layers 11 and 12. The security pouch 10 can be closed by the user folding over the protruding closure flap 13 over the lower plastic layer 11 (see arrow 15) and sealing it with the upper plastic layer 12. However, other embodiments of the access opening and other closing mechanisms are also known.

The upper plastic layer 12 is preferably provided with a single- or multiple-layer indicator layer 17 over its entire surface, which is preferably sprayed onto or printed onto the upper plastic layer 12. In the same way, the lower plastic layer 11 is provided with an identical indicator layer 17 on at least one of its surfaces and preferably on its outside surface not depicted in the diagram. The indicator layer 17 is constituted such that when it is mechanically damaged, in particular, when it is slit, a color change is produced in the region of the cut.

To prevent such a color change from occurring during manufacture of the security pouch, no such indicator layer should exist in the region of the lateral edges of the upper and lower plastic layers, which are usually cut from an endless strip, so that no color change is produced by this cutting operation. The region of the plastic layers where the welding seams 14 are constituted on the final security pouch should also be constituted without an indicator layer. Preferably, the materials that constitute the plastic layers are provided with the indicator layer at the beginning of the manufacturing process, which can be performed by printing on or spraying on. Alternatively, it is also possible to initially manufacture the security pouch without an indicator layer and to subsequently print or spray the latter onto the pre-manufactured security pouch. 

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A security pouch made of plastic and structured to receive and to transport valuables, the security pouch comprising: a lower plastic layer; an upper plastic layer joined to said lower plastic layer, said upper and lower plastic layers defining a closable access opening; and a single-layer or multi-layer indicator layer cooperating with at least one of said upper and said lower plastic layers, said indicator layer structured to produce a color change in response to mechanical damage.
 10. The security pouch of claim 9, wherein said indicator layer is disposed on an interior side and/or on an exterior side of said upper plastic layer.
 11. The security pouch of claim 9, wherein said indicator layer is disposed on an interior side and/or on an exterior side of said lower plastic layer.
 12. The security pouch of claim 9, wherein said indicator layer is printed on or sprayed on.
 13. The security pouch of claim 9, wherein said indicator layer contains two reaction media, which have a mutual spatial separation, wherein said spatial separation can be eliminated by said mechanical damage.
 14. The security pouch of claim 13, wherein said reaction media are separated from each other by a membrane or separating layer.
 15. The security pouch of claim 9, wherein said indicator layer contains at least one reaction medium, which produces a color change on making contact with oxygen.
 16. The security pouch of claim 15, wherein said reaction medium is encapsulated in said indicator layer. 